


in the name of the moon

by 1nterlaced



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga), Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-06-12 01:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15329133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1nterlaced/pseuds/1nterlaced
Summary: tiny tiny vignettes that feature the mermaid princesses as sailor soldiers!





	1. houshou hanon: sailor mercury

**Author's Note:**

> yooo- i really liked this idea because of the similarities the two series' had already, lol. a lot of characters fit in really well, so i had fun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was tough, seeing as hanon fit more personality-wise with naru than mercury, tbh. but!! i had a fun time trying to fit in mercury's personality with hanon's lol- it was nice trying to figure out something that she'd be interested in as much as mercury loves school- i decided on ballet because of the dedication it takes, and how it's something you have to keep proving yourself in- like intelligence.
> 
> honestly i only thought of mercury for hanon because in hindu mythology, mercury aka budha, rules over wednesday and aqua mermaids are born on wednesdays. sdgsdgfd

 

**i.**

Hanon, from a young age, has been described as an observant child. 

They tell her she's delightful, and precocious, and bright- they shower her with praise, but still, Hanon still feels alone.

It starts before grade school- her mother is a prima ballerina, gifted in dance and blessed with grace, almost obsessed with perfecting it. She expects her daughter to be the same way. Her father is an artist- he paints the sea, the skies, and trees- stellar paintings that brings life to the canvas in a way unseen by contemporary artists. He never considers making her the muse of his life.

They love her, they say-  _of course, honey- we're just a little busy lately, is all._  Hanon wonders if they love their travels a bit more. 

Hanon spends more time than any other grade-schooler in the dance studio, pushing her already natural flexibility past its limits and then some, bending herself into a shape she hopes can be loved. 

She loves dance- the passion, the work, the thrill that comes with a perfect fouetté- but primas in the making don't have time for friends. The friends she makes don't stay long, not understanding of her strict schedule- it weighs her down a bit, socially, but in the end, she thinks, it will be worth it. While the other kids go to sleepovers and spend time with their parents, Hanon spends late nights with her coach, and sleeps over at the studio on particularly trying nights when she pushes herself past the "one hundred and twenty percent" her coach asks of her, and the clock strikes twelve before she realizes it.

Her grades are better than average, but not perfect- Hanon strives to excel, but if she gets a B in English because she'd preferred rest for a sore muscle than homework, then it can't be helped, right? 

" Is that Houshou Hanon? "

" Yeah! I heard that she trains with one of the best ballet coaches in the country! "

" Really!? "

" I never see her hang out with anyone, though- "

" -She must think she's too good to hang out with anyone who isn't on her level. " 

 Her hand twitches, annoyance and some other emotion that she can't name clawing at her stomach, and Hanon looks up at the clock. It was nearly time for class to start. 

" Shh- she's right there, y'know!? "

 

It can't be helped.

Hanon grabs her bag, slips on her mask of indifference and heads to class. If she was lucky, she could finish her club work early and get an extra hour or two in the studio.

 

**ii**. 

 Being Mercury feels like slipping into a worn pair of pointe shoes. Comforting, shoes that have been broken in lifetime after lifetime- though, Bubble Spray has nothing on how unbearably unclear her past life's' memories are- and every battle is natural, a routine that she relearns with ease that Sailor Moon- no,  _Lucia_ , belies with every trip of her feet in the middle of battle. 

She wonders if Mercury liked ballet, too. 

..

 

Sailor Moon is clumsy, to say the least. Hanon teases her about it, gently, wary of hurting her feelings- she knows how cutting the comments can be.

She remembers her, vaguely, back when she was just Mercury, and Moon was just- well, she can't remember. It seems unlikely that she was a senshi, she thinks, being unable to imagine Lucia's clumsiness taking down monsters in battle, but she brushes it off as nerves. They'd only just become soldiers- even she had her moments.

Lucia's friendly, well-meaning, and she seems like such a naturally optimistic person that she barely questions Hippo's claims that she's meant to lead them.

 

" Hey, Hanon- do you want to go check out that sale that they're having in the shopping district? I heard that they have really pretty necklaces there! "

Hanon looks over at her from the other side of the room. It's become the norm to hang out at Lucia's house, ever since they've found out about themselves- Hanon's house is too big, too empty compared to the cozy warmth of Nikora downstairs, making them snacks and bringing them juice without them even asking. Hanon quietly steps out of the fourth position- she had been a bit lost in a quick rehearsal while Lucia finished reading her manga.

Discipline has always been a big part of her life- living in excess was unbefitting of a proper young lady, a statement that's been indoctrinated into her from a young age. Dance practice was the only thing she pushed for more of. No extra food, no extra decorations, no extra-

Lucia pouts, sensing the upcoming rejection, and whips out a pair of matching puppy dog eyes that she knows Hanon gives into every time. 

 

" Okay. "  Lucia cheers, setting aside the manga and hurrying to her wardrobe to look for clothes to change into. 

" But-! You have to walk me to the studio on our way back. I have practice at four. " 

Lucia nods excitedly, pulling out a cute top Hanon hasn't seen her wear yet, chattering about a pearl necklace she'd seen the other day that she wanted to get.

Hanon smiles, a quiet quirk of the lips that's more out of endearment than actual amusement.

She could get used to this.

 

**iii.**

 Meeting Mars- no,  _Rina,_ is a mission in and of itself. Lucia follows her onto the bus, well-past stalkerish behavior and bordering on creepy, and talks to her for the second time this week.

Though, Hanon notes, Rina isn't really saying anything back. Hanon frowns- sure, Lucia could be pushy, but it was unbecoming to be rude.

It's like that when they find her at the shrine, too- Rina stares at Lucia, eyes narrowed in what could be confusion or anger, but doesn't respond when Lucia presents her with the fire-red friendship ring that she had made Rina herself.

Hanon catches her glance at her matching one, a cheery aqua that she'd yet to take off since she'd gotten it. Rina grabs it out of her hand right before they're about to leave, murmuring a terse, quiet thanks and stalking off to tend to the grounds, her hakama flowing behind her. 

Lucia is beaming all the way home, and Hanon nudges her side, teasing her about her little "crush."

She blushes, red painting her cheeks before she shakes her head. " No, no-I have Tuxedo Mask, Hanon! What should I do- first Rihito, then Tuxedo Mask- " She buries her face in her hands, "I'm a multiple love kind of girl, aren't I?"

Hanon laughs, a sound from deep in her stomach that sends Lucia into a laughing fit, too. 

" Still, if she is the princess, we should get to know her better. She goes to the TA School for Girls, right? Maybe we should go- " She smiles, coy, watching the blush on Lucia's face spring back to life at her reaction, " -investigate. "

Lucia nods. " Yes! We could walk down the route that they take to go to the bus stop- we should stop by the convenience store and get snacks- and- oh! Do you think she'll wear the ring I gave her, Hanon?"

 

Hanon hums. "I guess we'll see tomorrow. "

 

**iv.**  

Sailor V is the nation's hero- after relocating from Australia, she'd been spotted in Japan, defeating monster after monster before the four of them could even transform.

Hanon is sure she's a soldier- they all are. She must be the princess, hidden behind a transformation pen that protects her from being discovered before all of them have gathered- a great warrior, her hidden power her biggest strength.

But where is she? 

Caren mentions it one day, as they wait for a monster to show up- the bright green of her transformation pen catching the moonlight. It had been another mission to get her to join them, but now, the green ring had Lucia had gifted her rests on her index finger. To match her fuku, she'd insisted.  

" - Come to think of it, it's been a while since she's been seen. What's taking her so long to talk to us? " She gestures at the Sailor Moon game sitting on Lucia's table. " It's not like we're trying to stay hidden! "

Lucia pouts, and Rina chuckles a bit, patting the top of her head in comfort. " Our lack of subtlety aside, she doesn't know our civilian forms. It's not like she can go around asking every girl with blonde hair if they're Sailor Moon. "

Caren stomps her foot, looking over at Hanon. " Still- we have a battle every other day! It's not like she's lacking opportunities to meet up with us! "

Hanon shrugs, leaning onto one leg for support and pointing her toes on the other. Point, flex- " She must be waiting for the right moment. "

 

Lucia gasps suddenly, pulling Hanon out of her thoughts, and moves quickly to the bead collection on her desk.

" I have to get started on her ring! "

 

**v.**

Hanon wakes up one night, her feet aching from practice and fear right on the edge of her consciousness. Another nightmare. Her hands move to work away at the ache in her feet, and she stares at the wall in silence as she tries to remember what it was about, her heart pounding. 

Lucia- She had lost her, or Lucia had lost her- the palace walls glitter as darkness overtakes them, and everything is lost in a burst of fire and ash. 

She stops, collapsing back onto her pillow with a resigned sigh. Leave it to her to dream about the Silver Millenium after Lucia's already awakened as Serenity. Sometimes, she wishes she had been blessed with Rina's gift- that she'd be able to look into the fires at the shrine, and see more than flame and burning wood. Though, with her indecisive nature, she'd probably never mention it as quickly as Rina does.

The enemy had been attacking more and more lately, leaving even Lucia tired after their battles. Hanon cuts back on sleep to balance out the practice time she's losing, but even she can feel the slight shake of her legs when she turns. 

Coco had been working with Yuri- her own cat, and Hippo to find the enemies' hideout- but even high-energy, ever-dedicated Venus gets tired. She'd seen it, one day, when Coco had bounded up the stairs of the shrine, her smile slightly tight and the bags under her eyes expertly hidden. Well hidden- unless, of course, you knew where to find them. (She has her years of dramatic ballet makeup to thank for it.) 

She gives Coco a cup of hot milk, and when Lucia and Caren go out to get snacks for their study session, Coco knocked out for a good hour. 

 

 She could use a cup of milk right now, she thinks. The hallways in the high-rise apartment are long, and sparsely decorated- it had been creepy when she was younger, but now, walking through them in the middle of the night, it just feels sad.

The rest of the house is similar- minimalist furniture, and the rare picture of her mother or her father, or just her. Never all three. 

Hanon thinks back to the weak chain of memories that she'd been given before her complete awakening- the Mariner Castle on her home planet, the light blues of her dress as she attended Princess Serenity's 300th birthday party.

The end of the Silver Millenium. 

 Hanon shivers, cold sweat on her forehead. She grips the countertop in an attempt to keep her nausea down.

The microwave beeps, and when she gets her cup of milk, she dumps it out into the sink. 

 

**vi.**

 

 The letter weighs almost nothing in her hands, the words  _Paris Opera Ballet_  written in a beautiful shade of cerulean that matches her hair.

It's what she's been working towards her whole life- to make her mom proud, a young prima with the world in her hands and everything to show for it. She'd finally, finally be able to go to France. But-

 

Lucia calls her later, when she's packing, and she drops a pile of folded shirts in shock. Hanon picks up the letter in her hands, feeling it's steady weight as she answers the phone. Her hands shake slightly. Lucia wants to go to karaoke- the place opens in two weeks, and she wanted all of them to come. Hanon looks down at the letter in her hand. She'd be gone by then. Lucia's words weigh against her shoulders, and suddenly the letter seems a lot heavier. 

" O-Of course! Maybe we can finally hear Rina sing, huh?" 

Lucia gasps on the other end. " You're right! Y'know, Coco told me she heard her one day when she was cleaning the shrine grounds, and I've been wanting to hear it ever since! I asked her, though, and she was all," She lowers her voice a bit, "Is that what you're focusing on? We have a duty as Senshi, and you're the princess and blah blah blah-! "

Hanon laughs, a tight, tense sound. Lucia catches it, it seems, pausing mid-rant.

" Are you okay?"

Her eyes scan her room and fall on her-half packed luggage, her pointe shoes on top of her bed, ready to be put away as well.

Is she?

"Yeah, sorry. I just got lost in thought, for a second. We should definitely go- and don't worry, between me, you, and Coco, we'll get her up on the stage in no time!"

Lucia laughs, her worries abated. " Yes! This is why I need friends like you guys! "

 

Hanon smiles, running her thumb over the wax seal on the letter. " Right? "

 

...

 

She doesn't get on the plane. She'll have more opportunities, she thinks, her transformation pen still warm in her pocket from her recent transformation. They'd taken her out to eat pizza after the battle, ecstatic at her decision to stay, though they hesitated to admit it at first. For her sake. 

 

"I'm glad you're staying, Hanon." Rina smiles next to her, a small cut on her cheek still visible from the battle. It'd probably be gone by the next day, thanks to their quick healing. "I was scared I was gonna be the only level-headed person left. "

Hanon laughs at the same time that Coco and Lucia choke on their food, indignant. They were more alike than even they seemed to notice- they hadn't believed it, Sailor Venus being their leader, but Coco's tendency to go along with Lucia's schemes made the fact obvious after a few weeks time. 

" _Hey_ -!"

" I can be level-headed- I balance books on my head all the time!" 

 

Hanon laughs harder at that, leaning on Rina for support as her stomach aches in protest. ( It had been a tough battle. )

" I'm glad I stayed, too. "

 

**vii.**

 

They're on their way to the shopping district, their shoes clicking. Mercury is entirely immersed in her screens, watching carefully as their target heads to the center and- stops. They would be there in five minutes, maximum. She'd called Mars as soon as she'd realized it was an ice-based monster, and they walked side by side along with Sailor Moon, on their way to cleanse it. 

" The Droid should be about five miles north of here. We'll get there soon. " Shutting off her computer, she looks over at Mars and catches her staring right back. She blinks, turning her head, looking straight ahead. The darkness of the area hides the fluster on her face. 

" Why are they attacking at this time, anyway? It's almost midnight. " Lucia walks alongside them, the sleepiness apparent on her face as she holds the Spiral Moon Heart Rod gently in her hand. 

" It's been a good week since they attacked, y'know. I'm surprised they didn't show up sooner. "  She pulls out the small palmtop computer that Hippo had gifted her in the beginning, watching carefully as the dot that marked the youma stayed perfectly still. Was it waiting for them? 

" Right, Rina? "

 

" Uh, Hanon? " Lucia speaks up from behind her, standing next to a completely still Mars. The symbol of her planet was illuminated by the moonlight across her forehead, and she had a faraway look on her face that looks almost - nostalgic? 

She hurries over to her, shaking her lightly. " Mars? Rina? "

Lucia pokes her the side of her cheek, watching curiously. " Is- Is she okay? " 

Hanon takes Rina's hand, turning it right side up, placing her fingers on her pulse. " She's fine, she's just- I don't know? " She lets her hand go, taking a closer look at the mark on her forehead. 

 

Hanon grabs gently at her shoulders, shaking her for a second. " Rina? "

She reacts to that, blinking rapidly, her cheeks red. The mark of Mars is gone. " Mercury? " 

" Are you okay, Rina? You suddenly just- stopped walking. " 

 

" I'm fine. " She sounds breathless, and Hanon lets out a breath she hadn't known she was holding at her response. She seemed okay, for the most part. 

" Let's go- the youma needs to be taken care of. " 

Hanon hesitates, wary of letting her battle when she'd spaced out so thoroughly. They'd need her, though- the chances of her and Moon defeating it by themselves were only sixty percent.

 

" Right. " 

 

 

**viii.**

 

 She knows she's not the strongest of them. 

Mercury is many things- cordial, and smart, and gentle, and only a bit teasing with the princess. She's their strategist, leaping out of the way of the enemy, creating diversions while Jupiter and Venus prepare their attacks, while Mars sets the enemy on fire. She watches it all, the blue light of her visors showing her the statistics of the battle, numbers and letters scrolling past her field of vision at a speed she knows would give anyone else a headache.

Anyone but Mercury. 

 

 


	2. noel: sailor neptune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay in this one! coco is no longer venus, but uranus. mermaid melody ran out of characters for me to put in as senshi so ! 
> 
> lucia would still be moon, rina and caren are still mars and jupiter, but hanon is venus! mercury ceases to exist it seems lol

**i.**

Her time before becoming a Senshi is riddled with visions.

Noel is no stranger to them- her mother often told claimed that she used to tell her about her strange dreams, that she was a princess soldier that needed to protect the galaxy from monsters. She'd laughed it off once she was older, faux blushing coming onto her cheeks when her mother used it as a charming story to recount to her friends.

Noel doesn't mention that she still has the visions- or that they're true. She's seen herself in the past, fighting off hoards of monsters at the edge of the solar system, a deep and mysterious power the color of the sea bursting forth from her own hands. It's strange, she thinks. Noel is a prodigious violinist, and a stellar painter- she is pleasant and graceful, the last type of person you would see as a soldier.

She paints the scenes, bringing them back to life- a guardian, alone, forever defending the universe that had granted her it's power and cursed her with it.

 

She's used to seeing visions. But this time- they're vivid, clearer than they've ever been and their subject matter more pressing- jarring, eternal silence.

The first time she sees it, she wakes up covered in her own sweat, cold and hot at once, her heart pounding in her chest. She drags herself to the bathroom, disoriented, and barely recognizes herself in the mirror. Her bangs are dripping from the water she'd shakily splashed on her face to calm herself down, and she recalls the name she'd heard, strong and unwavering, clear as the sky.

Neptune.

 

**ii.**

The sense of duty Noel feels when she first encounters a youma is familiar and infuriating. It's her fate, she reasons- she was always meant to be Neptune. Just Noel would've been great, but- the mark of her planet burns bright against the pale skin of her forehead, and she grabs the Lip Rod with no hesitation.

For a split second, the wind rustles, and Noel stops in her tracks.

Something- someone was missing. The monster growls, preparing to charge, and Noel shakes her head. She had to focus.

 

**iii.**

Her mother mentions the prodigious racer, Coco, one afternoon when they meet for tea. She had met her personally a week ago, and a friend of her father was considering her for a sponsorship.

"Her talent is unheard of, Noel. " 

Noel merely nods in that way that means she's not really paying attention, half-caught between a daydream and reality and unsure of the way back. If she even wanted to return.

"She must be quite good," Noel says absent-mindedly.

"Very. You'd think she was the wind, Noel. I went down to the track to see it myself. "

Noel snaps to attention, blinking herself back into clarity. "Like the wind?"

Her mother nods, curt. "Racing is a bit uncouth-" She laughs, taking a sip of her tea. Noel's has gone cold.

 

" - but she has a certain grace to her. It was rather impressive. "

 

**iv.**

 

Noel listens for her name on the news- it never fails to appear at least a few times.

_The new up and coming star racer, Coco, comes in first place at the junior track meet in Azabu-Juuban once again, beating out the former champion, Harada Ryo-_

She puts down her violin, placing it neatly back into its case as she listens intently to the news reporter. They put up a picture of her, and Noel feels like the wind has been knocked out of her.

It's a shot of her after the race. Noel traces her outline for as long as TV shows her image. She's tall, towering over the reporter, and seeming to enjoy it- her fringe lays messily across her face, her hair pulled back into a messy bun. Her cheeks are painted the color of fresh peach blossoms, and her smile is genuine, but not modest- she seemed to know she was going to win.

Noel grips the plush couch cushion with more strength than she's ever mustered in her life. She's never seen anyone more beautiful.

 

**vi.**

Elsa and Noel are decent enough friends- as friendly as Noel has ever gotten with anyone, really. She's not one to have a wide circle of friends like most of the opportunistic kids at her school, preferring to keep her distance unless she's genuinely interested in having their presence around her. She's polite, but not one to fancy herself the kindred spirit of every girl that she talks to for more than a minute.

Their mothers introduced them, back at some gala or another. Elsa was interesting, at least. She was passionate in a way that Noel found endearing- the heart of an artist, in the body of an athlete. She's had her model for her before.

She's never taken an interest in Elsa's racing beyond that- that is, until she hears of Coco. She wants to see her for herself, a tight, pulling feeling in her chest that can only be described as a deep yearning.

" Say, Elsa. Would you mind if I came to your next race?"

She blinks. "Noel, coming to a race?"

Noel nods, her smile turning up the corners of her eyes.  

"Sure! Hey- you can even see me race against that junior track star, Coco- she's the fastest person I've seen in a while. "

She tilts her head at the mention of her, not really feigning curiosity. "Oh, I've heard of her." Maybe more than heard of her. "My mother says she's quite the sight."

"Yeah- she's beaten the world record for the fastest time in the 200-metre, twice! "

"Oh?" Her eyes widen in surprise. " Do you think you could introduce me to her, Elsa? I'd love to have her model for me. "

 

**vii.**

 

Coco wins, of course. Elsa and the rest of the racers are leagues behind her, and she breaks the finish line in record time. Again. Noel clutches her sketchbook in anticipation, meeting up with Elsa near the entrance to the field.

The wind blows past her as if in greeting, and Elsa presents her to Coco.

Noel can feel it- she knows she can, too. Her name comes to her, clear in a way that her past visions never were- Uranus.

 

"You're not even sweating." Noel notices the slight widening of Coco's eyes as she looks over at her. She didn't think it was possible for her to look better up close. She was full of surprises, it seemed. "Could it be... were you holding back?"

Coco seems taken aback, slipping on a mask of playful indifference that Noel recognizes- with the reporters. She flusters them, interview after interview, delighting in the way they stutter beneath her. Noel doesn't take to it one bit.

" What do you mean? "

The race is over, but she's still running.

" Can't you hear the sound of the wind rustling?" She tilts her head to the side, her smile achingly sweet, in contrast to the weight of her words.

 

Her expression changes, from teasing flirt to - surprised. Again, it shifts- like her element, Noel thinks. Everchanging, like the wind. Coco's mouth is in a straight line, her eyebrows furrowed. Noel has never bared herself to anyone like this, and she gets a distinct feeling that Coco hasn't, either. That she won't.

The wind stops.

 

" You're a weird girl. Did you need something, hun? " Coco turns away from her, from them, and slings her bag over shoulder casually- like Noel hadn't just shocked her to the sky and back. Like Noel wasn't her showing her the way to her fate, torch in hand.

She frowns at that, and she suddenly remembers Elsa- No doubt confusedly watching the both of them. Right- the excuse she'd used to be here in the first place, to confirm what she'd already known in her heart.

She grips her sketchbook tighter. "Will you model for one of my drawings?"

 

Her back is still turned. "I'll pass on that- I'm not really interested in that kind of stuff. "

 

After she leaves, Elsa pulls her out of her thoughts with a comforting hand on her shoulder. " She's cool, but she's kind of cold, isn't she? "

 " We're ice-giants, after all. " Noel mumbles, low enough so that she can't hear her. 

" Huh? " Elsa blinks at her, confused. 

" Nothing. " She shakes her head, watching as Coco walks away, taking a piece of Noel with her. 

 

" It's nothing. " 

 

**viii.**

 

 It might be better, she thinks, that Coco had rejected her. The rejection leaves a bad taste in her mouth, a cold feeling in her chest that doesn't go away no matter how many visits she makes to the pool, but at least Coco doesn't have to deal with the fighting.

The battles seem endless, and though she takes the monsters down with relative ease, she dreads what's to come. Neptune's age is more apparent than ever, and she struggles to stay upright with another lifetime on her shoulders- even if it was, technically speaking, her own. The silence comes closer with every passing day, and Noel feels unbearably alone.

She lets herself slide into the pool, completely submerged. She daydreams of a car ride by the sea.

 

**ix.**

 Noel knows she's there the moment she steps on the cruise ship. She can feel it, her presence making the sea around the ship restless, frothy waves that push against the sides of the ship, anticipating. Noel's hold on the case of her Stradivarius tightens with apprehension. The sea's emotions and her own are at a crossroads, and if she were any other person, she would struggle to keep them from overflowing.

The performance was the least of her worries, really. 

Coco shows up during Nocturne in C-sharp minor by Chopin- a morbid, trying piece that left Noel inwardly breathless every time she played it. She'd chosen it specifically to match the gallery that had been put up. For the end of the world. 

 

She leaves during the Variations on the Last Rose of Summer by Ernst. She gets up 6 minutes in, her presence faded and gone- Noel glances out at the crowd, careful not to watch her leave. She doesn't know what she would do if she had to see it again.  

 

 

Noel sits, ankles together on the staircase, watching her reaction carefully. She sees Coco's recognition- the tense of her shoulders, the heavy exhale of a sigh. She's seen it, too. 

 

" Do you like it? " 

Coco doesn't respond. Noel thanks her for coming, her tone as steady as she can make it. She feels better, at least, meeting her surrounded by her element. Her hands lay in her lap, together, careful not to give away how scared she really is. 

" You seem to know a lot about me. " 

It's Noel's turn not to respond. 

" Did you paint this? "

 

" You're quite famous, you know. " Noel chooses to ignore any questions, the waves pushing up against her throat and forcing all her secrets out with them. " You're all the girls in my school talk about. They always talk about going on a car ride with you, driving by the sea. "

 

Coco smiles at that. She can't figure out why, and suddenly, Noel feels defensive. 

" The end of the world, huh? " 

 

**x.**

 She finds out about Senshi healing during a particularly nasty fight, when it's two against one and the victims are a pair of young girls that Noel had met the day before. They were a bit precocious, but Noel had been the same way when she was younger. She still was. But she couldn't really say she was young anymore, feeling beyond her years with every divination and every battle. 

Usually, she takes the monsters out in one or two hits, the surge of power overwhelming, a brilliant blue that took them down with deftness.

This time, the monsters take their chance as she loses herself in thought- they slash at her legs, and she screams out, the shock bringing her back to her senses. 

 

" Deep Submerge! " 

 

The next morning, when Noel undresses last nights' wounds, her mind still foggy from the fatigue she was feeling, they're only faint marks. She thinks of the gashes the monster had left last night and the cold sweat running down her forehead as she cleaned and dressed her first major wound by herself. 

The marks are fading, but she still feels nauseous. 

 

**xi.**

 

 Noel nearly gets on the train home, until she hears the rumbling of the sea in her ears, the distinct heaviness of a storm brewing over the waters. Trouble. 

 

She watches in agony as Coco reaches out for the transformation pen, excitement and revulsion at her own feelings. She was still just Coco- she could still turn back and be a normal teenage girl. Noel was lost the moment she'd taken the Lip Rod in her hand, but Coco- 

 

" You mustn't touch that! " 

The Rod clatters to the ground.

" Once you do, you won't be able to go back to a normal life. " 

 

Noel lifts her own rod, willing the transformation take over her form. She would fight- take down the monster, and save the world, for her. Take on the burden of silence by herself, if it meant Coco could live normally. 

 Expertly, the faint scent of the sea in the breeze, she traps the monster. 

 

" Stop- he was human just a second ago! This is- it's murder! " 

_I know_. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it right. " If I don't do this, many more will die. "

Coco frowns at her, horrified and stunned and Noel wishes she would stop looking at her like that. 

" Are you saying you're okay with that? " Coco all but yells at her, and Noel's gaze hardens. _Of course not_. 

" Yes. " 

 

" Are you really-- "

The monster shifts, aiming for Coco, and Noel has never moved faster.

 

**xii.**

 

 When she wakes up, her vision blurry and her confessions to Coco hazy in her memory, her transformation hasn't dispersed, by some miracle. Uranus's hasn't, either. 

Uranus. _Uranus_.

Noel tears up, gripping at her, pressing the long blonde tresses against her neck. What had she said to her? She'd told her not to, to let her do it alone- 

 

" I'm taking you home, Neptune. " 

 

A single sob racks through her core, and Noel isn't sure if it's because she's upset, or relieved. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooo i loved writing this! ty for reading!


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